The monument to Francysk Skaryna is located near the main entrance to the National Library of Belarus.

Francysk Skaryna is the most famous Belarusian who published the first national translation of the Bible in 1517. He was born in Polack around 1490, studied in Cracow and Padua, translated and printed books of the old Testament in Prague, and the New Testament in Viĺnia. Thanks to Skaryna, the ancient Belarusian state began the era of the Reformation, which went down in history as the "Golden age of Belarus". The famous printing pioneer died in 1551.

The monument to Francysk Skaryna near the National Library of Belarus was erected in August 2005, but the Grand opening took place in May 2006. This was due to the production and installation of three reliefs on three sides of a three-meter granite pedestal. They depict landscapes of Polack, Prague and Padua. These cities are associated with the most significant events in the life of the Belarusian reformer, first printer and educator. On the fourth side is a slab with the inscription “Francysk Skaryna”.

Sculptor Alieś Draniec, architects Aliaksandr Kamliuk and Jaraslaŭ Linievič are the authors of the monument. They sought to strengthen the expressiveness of the image, resorted to the generalization of forms and their conciseness. Skaryna blesses the Belarusian land, holding a newly published Bible in the Belarusian language.

Publication date: 17.07.2020.

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